Not Just Any History, It’s Indian Football History

If you are a fantasy football fan, you must know all the beautiful tales linked to the sport. Aren’t we right? Apparently, forming your own fantasy football league and playing is more thrilling if you go for knowing about the sport. 

Indian national team’s small international ranking does not quite reflect the sport’s fame in the nation. People widely play and view football here. European club-level football matches and the international matches are a big hit among the younger gen in India. Let’s know about the football game origin and evolution. 

Rich Tradition of Football in India:

Football has a rich tradition in India. And the history of the game in this nation is significant and something which is worth discussing. The starting of football journey in India traces back to the mid 19th century. It was when British rulers introduced the game in our nation. According to the records available, the first game on Indian soil has arranged between ‘Calcutta Club of Civilians’ and the ‘Gentlemen of Barrackpore’ in 1854. The first official football club of India, ‘Calcutta Football Club’, was established in 1872.  Loads of us might be ignorant of the fact that Asia’s oldest football tournament. It is also the world’s third oldest football contest, has its roots in India. Branded as the “Durand Cup”, named after the then Foreign Secretary of India, Sir Mortimer Durand, this celebrated football tournament began its journey in Shimla in 1898. 

The Taste of Victory 

The very first notable achievement for Indians in football was Mohun Bagan winning IFA Shield Trophy on 29th July, 1911. They defeated East York Regiment by 2-1 victory margin. Mohun Bagan’s victory over the British sovereign had then become an issue of political nationalist upsurge; football had turned out to be an outlet of aggression for the young generation. 

As a result of that victory, new football tournaments and football clubs grew rapidly in the nation, mostly in Calcutta (present day Kolkata). With an increasing number of activities in the football sports, the need for a regulatory body arose and thus the “All India Football Federation” – AIFF came to life in 1937. AIFF got recognized by FIFA in the year 1948 and it was one of the founder members of Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which was established in 1954. All these chronological events are a few unforgettable landmarks in the history of Indian football. 

The Golden Period 

Then saw the “Golden Period” of Indian football, which deserves special mention. India qualified for the World Cup – 1950, but later withdrew its participation because FIFA would not allow them to play bare foot. The year 1951 through 1962 will be remembered forever for the decade long worthy triumphs in the international space. The Indian footballers brought glory to the nation by winning the Gold medal in the 1951 Asian Games held in New Delhi. Then in 1956, India became the first Asian nation to register a semi-final appearance in Melbourne Olympic Games. India further established itself as the most dominating force to reckon with in the Asian sector with another Gold medal in the 1962 Asian Games held in Jakarta. 

This is the glorious tale of football in India. Enjoy playing fantasy football in future! 

Tale of Captain’s Armband in Football

You may be a big fan of soccer and regularly play fantasy football to test your knowledge. But you may not know many of the detailed facts about this sport. 

Knowing the detailed and interesting facts about them will make your fantasy football league more interesting to play and also watch the real matches.  

Like most of the sports, team captain is the key link of a football team. Sometimes, they get to know as skippers. He is a team member selecting to be the on-pitch leader of the team. It is frequently one of the older or more experienced members of the squad. Or it is a player that can greatly influence a game. The soccer team captain normally identified by the wearing of an armband. 

Liability of a captain

The only official liability of a captain which is specified by the Laws of the Game. It is to participate in coin toss prior to kick-off (for choice of ends) and before a penalty shootout. Contrary to what sometimes said, captains have no special authority under the Laws to challenge a choice by the referee. But, referees may talk to the captain of a side about the side’s general behaviour when needed. 

During an award distribution event after playing a tournament such as a cup competition final, the captain typically leads the team up to collect their medals. Any trophy won by a team will be received by the soccer team captain who will also be the first one to hoist it. The captain also normally leads the teams out of the dressing room at the beginning of the match. 

Captain normally gives a rallying point for the team

If morale is low, it is the captain who will be looked upon to boost their team’s spirits. 

Captains might join the manager in deciding the starting eleven for a certain game. In youth or recreational football, the captain frequently takes on duties, which would, at a higher level, be given to the manager. 

So wearing the band, the skipper band, gives the captain of the soccer team quite a number of duties. 

Happy reading and playing fantasy cricket! 

The Official FIFA World Cup Match Balls

Fantasy sports mean making teams online and sit back to watch the players beat each other and earn points to make your created team win. Online fantasy sports, most exciting matches are the World Cups, whether it is of cricket or football. Let’s talk about fantasy football 

The World Cup Ball has changed plenty eventually, getting lighter and more technical in design. The materials have changed eventually as has the manufacturer responsible for designing and offering the balls for the tournament. Below we have put together a list of official football at each of the World Cups, including this year one. 

1930 World Cup – T-Model 

Called as the ‘T-Model’ due to the T shaped panels on the sides, this ball was the very first one to use in the World Cup. 

1934 World Cup – Federale 102 

Italy was the host for 2nd World Cup and this resulted in Mussolini insisting the ball to be made there. The outcome was the Federale 102. 

1938 World Cup – Allen  

Allen manufactured in France by a Paris based manufacturer whose name was also Allen design the ball. For the first time, a company’s name used to brand the ball. 

1950 World Cup – Duplo T 

This inflatable 12 panel ball used during the iconic 1950 World Cup where Uruguay shocked Brazil in front of nearly 200,000 people. 

1954 World Cup – Swiss World Champion 

In this version of WC ball the most notable aspect was its zigzag edges. 

1958 World Cup – Top Star 

This was the first tournament where the ball design was a competition. The winning design came from a Swedish company, and their ball called the Top Star. It became famous for its waterproof waxed surface. 

1962 World Cup – Crack 

Simply called as ‘the Crack’ this ball made of uneven shapes, which was a design never seen before. 

1966 World Cup – Challenge 4-star 

Slazenger, a British company were tasked to make ball for the 1966 tournament held in Britain. The ball was made of 25 rectangular panels and had no markings or branding on it. 

1970 World Cup – Telstar 

This version was named after the satellite put into orbit in 1962, the Telstar was the first ball made by Adidas for the World Cup. It is composed of 20 white hexagons and 12 black pentagons. The ball is iconic.  

1974 World Cup – Telstar Durlast 

After the success of the 1970 Telstar, Adidas did very little to change the 1974 ball.  

1978 World Cup – Tango 

The design for the 1978 ball was supposed to reflect the passion and zing of the nation of Argentina. 

1982 World Cup – Tango Espana 

The Tango Espana was the first ball to combine leather and synthetic materials and yet despite having better water resistant qualities, the ball still had issues which meant it had to be modified numerous times. 

1986 World Cup – Azteca 

The Azteca, the first fully synthetic ball, designed with aztec frescoes, the ball used in Mexico in 1986. 

1990 World Cup – Etruscan Unico 

Italy, the host nation of WC 1990 and the ball designed to celebrate that. The design was to celebrate the history of ancient Italy and the Etruscans. 

1994 World Cup – Questra 

The 1994 World Cup ball made of five different materials and polystyrene foam which made the ball waterproof. The name Questra derives from an ancient word meaning ‘pursuit of the stars’. 

1998 World Cup – Tricolore 

The Tricolore was the first colour ball in the World Cup Finals. The blue design signified the French flag. 

2002 World Cup – Fevernova 

The Adidas Fevernova was a ball like no other, in terms of design and colour way. It had a special foam layer, and had thicker inner layers to increase accuracy. 

2006 World Cup – Teamgeist 

This is the first World Cup ball with a triangular design. The ball for the 2003 Women’s World Cup was technically identical to the Fevernova, but had a different visual design. 

2010 World Cup – Jabulani 

In Zulu language, Jabulani means ‘celebrate’ but this official ball is one of the most controversial balls. 

2014 World Cup – Brazuca 

Brazuca, the first World Cup ball named by the public. Brazuca was selected as it is an informal term for Brazilian national pride in their way of life. 

2018 World Cup – Telstar 18 

This is the football of 2018 FIFA WC, Telstar 18 by Adidas. Designed to be a modern interpretation of the iconic 1970 Telstar ball, the ball only has six panels in an innovative design whereas the original Telstar had 32 panels fastened together. 

Happy reading & playing fantasy sports! 

Top Forwards In The World To Notice

Football (Soccer) is one of the most popular global sports. The main aim of playing football is to score as many goals as a team can. And beat the other team by scoring higher goals. Earning points in fantasy football somewhat depend on the goals scoring. 

Let us take a look on a few of the forwards who definitely can score a plenty of goals and help you earning points for your fantasy football league and also help you winning a match. 

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 

Lionel Messi is at his magical best. A lot of people feared for Barcelona when Neymar departed the club and joined PSG. But people forgot that they still had the Argentine magician with them. Messi is totally radiant. 

Playing on the right or through the centre, Messi is currently on top of the La Liga scoring charts. He has also mastered the art of taking free-kicks and has already scored plenty of superb free-kick goals. 

With 33 goals and 13 assists in 40 matches, the Barcelona legend just edges Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo as the best forward in global football. 

A goal scorer and playmaker rolled into one, Messi will be hoping to guide Barcelona to another dramatic treble. 

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 

Mohamed Salah is undoubtedly the best. The Liverpool forward has surprised everyone with the impact he has had and is showing no signs of slowing down. Playing as a winger, it is astonishing that the Egyptian is tied with Harry Kane for the Golden Boot. 

Cutting in from the right-hand side, the left-footed winger has scored all types of goals and defenders have struggled to cope with his quick pace, tricky feet and insane dribbling skills. Salah’s stats are honestly incredible. Having scored 31 goals in 39 looks so far, the 25-year-old superstar has also further assisted 9 goals. 

With Liverpool fighting for a top 4 position in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals coming up, Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that the former Chelsea man continues his electric form and keeps scoring and setting up goals. 

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) 

A fierce resolve to be the best, Ronaldo with his grit and determination along with his supreme talent has become the single most recognisable name in global football today. 

Ever since his move to Real Madrid, his goal scoring exploits is simply mind-boggling. Be it scoring the last penalty in a UEFA Champions League final penalty shoot-out or scoring a vital goal in the Euro 2016 semi-final, Ronaldo has repeatedly stepped up when it has mattered the most and shown the world what he is competent of. 

Recently, Ronaldo has joined to Juventus Fc and we hope that here too he will mentain his brilliant form.

Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) 

This one footballer has proved all his critics wrong with his wonderful performances in almost all his recent matches. Harry Kane has repeatedly shown that he is amongst the top forwards of global football (soccer) with his mind blowing performance in different matches this year. 

Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) 

Neymar is the most expensive forward in the world. With an excellent start of his soccer career, he has formed devastating trio with Mbappe and Cavani. In his matches, at times it simply looks for the 26 year old magician as he just tricked and dribbled past his opponents with ridiculous ease. 

Happy reading and enjoy playing fantasy sports! 

Top 5 Centre-Backs In The World

It was incredibly difficult to choose the best players of any sport. If you trust your fantasy sports abilities, you will always go for the top performing players for forming your team.  

Football is the top global sport with billions of fans crazing over it, just as they love playing the fantasy football. But to make the team win, online fantasy football players need to choose their players wisely. 

Let’s have a glance of the top 5 soccer centre-backs of the world, whom you can include in your team when you get the scope. 

Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) 

Sergio Ramos is a complete package of surprises. Over the years he’s built a bullet-proof status as Mr Real Madrid; the picture of his trophy-lusting club, with a persistent desire to win by any means needed. 

However, there’s much more to Spain’s most-capped outfielder than just blood, guts and grit. The 31-year-old has netted 69 times in his 544 appearances for Madrid – an amazing tally for a centre-back.   

Ramos is a strong personality; blatantly physical; often cynical if necessary, but as one package Madrid’s brave leader. Rolled together it gives him an edge over opponent football teams who despise clashing with him. 

Gerard Pique (Barcelona) 

Pique’s defending stayed at a high standard, even when his team weren’t always at their best, and he has sustained that form into the recent times as well. The 30-year-old is a Marmite-like footballer in Spain; despised by many but loved in equal measure by those who value his headstrong, never-say-die approach and frank ways.    

So many Barcelona attacks still start at his feet, and the 30-year-old has developed with age defensively too; no longer is he pretty so rash. Now, Pique is a Rolls-Royce of a defender. 

Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) 

The 28-year-old is a player every football team would want to have; a versatile, Swiss Army knife of a defender who has flawlessly transferred to a central defensive post, having spent most of his Blues career already playing out of position at left-back. Never has he complained, and hardly ever has he been anything but consistent. 

Cesar Azpilicueta is so good now that it feels almost not possible for anyone to argue against him being the best defender. 

Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) 

The vastly improved Koulibaly is one of the biggest factors behind Napoli’s success; a robust man-marker who opposing forwards rarely get the better of, but also a defender who boasts fine passing ability to go with it. The 26-year-old player has helped his team keep the best defensive record many matches, and will be hot property if he keeps up his rate of progress. 

Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich) 

Hummels has managed to remain a calm constant next to other defensive partners including Niklas Sule, Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez. The 29-year-old is invariably reliable. Hummels’ standing at international level has developed, too: in Manuel Neuer’s constant nonappearance he was made captain for the first time against England team in November 2017. 

Happy reading and enjoy play fantasy sports! 

Top 5 Bollywood Movies Based on Football

In India, every street has one football club. Indians adore football and just as much as the entire world adores. This is the reason that online fantasy sports are so much in trend in the recent years. People love playing the fantasy football as much as they love watching it or being the part of the local football club. 

Bollywood loves football as well. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may be the heroes on football ground but John Abraham and Parminder Nagra are our Bollywood footballer heroes.

Let’s take a look on the 5 Bollywood movies based on the football: 

Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal

The movie is about the south Asian community living in UK and their struggle to play football at the top level. The story of the movie tells about the Southall United football club having South Asian players only. The club which was once a very successful club is now facing hurdles in getting sponsors. The main lead, John Abraham is a star player getting discriminated for his skin colour. He along with Boman Irani  who is the coach of the Southall team and Arshad Warsi, the Captain, scripts success stories for the team and brings glory to the south Asian community living in England. 

Bend it like Beckham

Gurinder Chadha surprised audiences and critics with an impressive film on football and relationships. Bend it like Beckham relates about the leading lady in the film – Jess being a football fanatic. Coming from an Indian family, Jess fights all for her passion of sports. The film encouraged playing football over the much popular cricket.  

Sikandar

A kid’s obsession with sports is well depicting in the movie, Sikandar. The story is about how a 14 year old boy who is the hero of the film, Sikandar wants to just play football. And it is his dream to excel and become an expert in the sport. Directed by Piyush Jha and produced by Sudhir Mishra, in the film Sikandar’s innocence and love for football fades as unfortunate situations change his path. 

Hip Hip Hurray

Hip Hip Hurray is a 1984 Hindi film, a directorial debut of Prakash Jha. It is the story of a computer engineer who takes up a provisional job as sports instructor in a school and leads the school to historic victory in a football match. 

Saaheb

Saaheb is a 1985 movie starring Anil Kapoor in the lead role. In the film Anil Kapoor is focused on football, his only passion. Due to this, everyone in the family continually tells him he is no good. But when situations demand, he is caught in the life and its unfortunate circumstances, at the cost of his football career. 

Happy reading and enjoy playing fantasy sports!

An Insight to Fantasy Football League

Fantasy football League news or other sources providing information are worth choosing to get you enlightened about this extremely famous game. However, there are also some key pieces of advice about the game that you as a fan will like about it. This type of sport has its interesting aspect and is gaining prominence globally. 

If you are one of the persons who has never tried playing the game, you are then perhaps the one lagging behind the ones who enjoy the game to the core. Surprising reaction we have to witness if we go through the flashback of the game historically. This is indeed a game that fans love getting hooked up to. 

Compare to couch potato games

As compared to other coach potato games that you witness over the Internet, it is something very interesting that keep you afloat with amazement. Since the game can be played using the internet, there is no botheration of specified location or time to play the online sport with friends. From any part of the world and anytime, you can access and play the game to your heart’s content. 

Like any other games that we feel enchanted with, online fantasy game has also some rules that need to be followed. First of all, you have to decide which Fantasy Football need to be drafted to form a team. Hence, you should focus on choosing favourite team of players in this respect. You can also resort to quick help tips provided by some online sports-related websites. This will certainly help you a lot in the context of understanding the game fully. 

Drafting standby players is very essential considering that you need one when there is bye week. Also, it is very essential to create you a league of your own but should avoid using it if you are novice. As soon as you understand the game further, you gain mastery on it. Eventually, you start playing it confidently. 

This type of game infuses you with utmost cheers. Whether you include kindred or football buds into your league, the thing is that you will experience sheer pleasure by playing the game. Winning a competition in such game is always a thing of sheer pleasure for players. 

Happy playing! 

Pick the Perfect Fantasy Football Team

Fantasy sports can take more time away from the office, work, or even family work. But it can also have a lot of fun. Using online representations of the football player in real life, anyone who likes the game can be a manager, supervisor, and know-it-all in the online area. 

History of Fantasy Sports 

To pick a perfect fantasy football team all the time is not possible. This is because no matter how much you try to stay in control, unexpected things can always happen. You can make the best of the selections and best of the choices but you can still end up performing as the bottom-most team. This is because not everything is in your hands. You trust that certain players will play well and certain others won’t. Therefore you need to take a leap of faith or a strategic game plan to make sure that your team plays well. 

Fantasy football is played by people from all over the world. In fantasy football league you select a team from different players from across the globe. Your team is then pitted against other teams from all over the world by other players who are playing along with you. Based on how the players of your team have performed in real life, your team gets individual points and team-based points.

These points accumulate to give you a final score. This score is compared with other teams to determine who comes at the top. Therefore to give you an easy strategy, your team should comprise of the best performing players at that given point from across the world. The difficult task is to select the best performing players.

More to the history

A player might be playing well for a few matches and then may not play at all for the next few. Poor performances will result in the drop of points. Therefore you need to be careful about who you put on your team. The player that you have the most faith upon often might let you down with their poor performance. 

The key is not to have the best team with the best players but a team filled with the consistent player. When playing fantasy football, the first impulse would be to buy all the star players around the world in your team. However, this is a foolish strategy. These players that are well established might or might not perform at any given point in time. Therefore you need to look out for the young and upcoming talent. You need to find players that work hard and try to perform at their best all the time. Even if they are not scoring goals or their team is not winning, their performance never drops. 

These are the players that develop consistency in a team. These are also the players that will help your fantasy football team. Also, another disadvantage of buying all the star players is that you would have to waste a lot of money. You should remember that you will have a budget cap. You should, therefore, try to make the best out of your budget by selecting a side that is balanced and is consistent. Some wild cards here and there are good but these should not make up for your entire team. You should strive for balance when possible. 

Enjoy reading and happy playing!